Spanish has many irregular verbs. They are important because they are commonly used and appear in all tenses.
Types of Irregularities
Stem Changes
Some verbs change the stem vowel in certain forms.
Yo Form Changes
Some verbs only change in the yo form in the present tense.
Completely Irregular
A few verbs are irregular in many forms and must be memorized.
Examples
Cerrar (e → ie)
| Spanish |
|---|
| cierro |
| English |
| Pronoun |
| yo |
Volver (o → ue)
| Spanish |
|---|
| vuelvo |
| English |
| Pronoun |
| yo |
Pedir (e → i)
| Spanish |
|---|
| pido |
| English |
| Pronoun |
| yo |
Hacer (yo form irregular)
| Spanish |
|---|
| hago |
| English |
| Pronoun |
| yo |
Ser (completely irregular)
| Spanish |
|---|
| soy |
| English |
| Pronoun |
| yo |
Summary
- Irregular verbs are common and important in Spanish.
- They may have stem changes, yo-form changes, or be completely irregular.
- Always pay attention to which tense and pronoun you are using.
- Practice with examples and use them frequently to remember the patterns.
Start Now
- Access 2.5x the number of exercises.
- Track your progress, take courses.
- Unlock chat explanations.
Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025